Yesterday I had the extreme pleasure of running my first puzzle hunt/race for Ravenchase Adventures. It was for a small group, split into 3 teams of 5. It was a huge learning experience in so many ways, and while there were many interesting moments throughout the day, the image that sticks out most vividly in my mind is that of the first team arriving at the ending location.
They approached in an excited half-jog and handed in their answer sheet, eagerly asking whether they were the first team back. I confirmed that they were, and they all cheered. Then they wanted me to check their answers and see if they had gotten them right (looking back now, I should have made them wait until the awards part to build up the suspense), and to my surprise and delight they had an answer for all of the clues, and they were all correct! (This being my first real puzzle hunt of any capacity, I didn’t really know how my puzzles would go over, or if there was even enough time in the event to solve them all.) The players were absolutely thrilled with themselves, giving high-fives all around.
Their excitement was infectious and left a huge smile on my face! I’ve certainly had experiences being on the winning team of something, but a puzzle hunt is not one of them. I almost felt a little jealous of this team! They clearly had a blast being super competitive and coming out on top. Winning isn’t everything, but it sure does feel good. =) It’s exciting to think that as I gain more experience in running and attending events, I’ll have a better chance at moving up that ladder. And maybe someday my team will be the one cheering at the end! If nothing else, I’ll get to see a happy winning team at every event I run!
Any readers out there have any really satisfying winning experiences with puzzles or games? I’m definitely planning on tracking down whoever wins Post Hunt this Sunday to try and get an interview!